The Fourth Great Shinobi War
by Lightning Palm
Summary: The story of Naruto's son, Suzaku and his friends. They must journey to the Land of Dragons and return to Konoha before Kirigakure annihilates Konoha. Can they make it in time?
1. Chapter 1

Seeds of Deception

The seeds of deception were sewn in the dark, gloomy catacombs of the Akatsuki base. Momoshiro Uchiha was speaking to another member when Zetsu appeared behind him. Momo, as his friends came to call him, was a tall young man at the age of 16 when he joined Akatsuki following in his father's footsteps. He carried the same sword as his father used when he killed the Uchiha Clan. Not much older than Sasuke when he joined Akatsuki, Momo rose through the ranks in Akatsuki in a matter of days.

"So it_ was_ Killer Bee again?" Zetsu asked Momoshiro.

"Yeah. I'm getting tired of his antics on the battlefield. He's starting to bore me and my men," Momo said.

"So, are you just going to let him win every time you two face off in battle, Momo?"

"I don't think that he will. I think that Momoshiro is going to kick Killer Bee's butt back to Kumogakure," said another voice.

"Shinara? What are you doing here? I thought you worked for Kabuto," Momo said.

"I did. I just wanted to tell you that Orochimaru is coming back. Momo, you have to go to Konoha. You have to tell the Hokage. If you don't -"

"I know. Zetsu, I'm going to Konoha. I must speak with _him_. I also have to find my uncle."

"Very well, Momo. You may leave. I shall send word to Madara that -"

"No. He can't know that I'm going. He wants to destroy Konoha."

"Go then, Momo. I won't stop you."

In Konoha, Naruto had been chosen as the sixth Hokage only 2 days before Momo arrived at the main gate.

"Hey, it's an Akatsuki robe," one of the guards said.

"Yeah. I wonder why he's here," the other one said. "Hey, you! What does Akatsuki want in Konoha?"

"I must speak with _him_. I have an urgent message to deliver. It's from Shinara Uketaki," Momo stated.

"Who's '_him_'?"

"Hokage-sama, Naruto Uzumaki," Momo merely stated. He glared at the guards, who saw his Sharingan which had activated due to anger with Zetsu.

"Hey, i-it's a Sharingan! W-who are you!?"

"A member of Konoha originally, I was kidnapped at the age of three by a group of ronin. At the age of seven I was able to kill my captors and use my Sharingan for the first time. I am the sole surviving user of the third-most powerful Sharingan. I am the only user of the Dragon Sharingan. I am Momoshiro Uchiha, avenger for my father and mother."

"What's the urgent message?" one of the guards asked.

"The message is for Hokage-sama's ears only."

"Why is it so important?"

"It concerns Orochimaru."

"O-Orochi-maru?!"

"Yes."

"Summon Lord Hokage! Tell him that it's urgent news!"

"Y-yes, sir!"

As Naruto got word, his son Suzaku overheard the conversation. Suzaku was a young man just out of medical school. His friends Shoji, Reika, and Sosuke soon joined him for a briefing in the office.

"You four are to go to the village gate and question the man attempting to enter the village. As you can see, I have too much work to do, so I can't question him myself," Naruto explained.

"Yes, sir!" Reika, Shoji, and Sosuke said.

"Suzaku, wait a moment."

"Yes, Father?"

"I understand you passed your final entrance exam in the Medical Corps. I want you to speak with Sakura about going through more difficult training."

"Why should I do that?"

"If my suspicions are correct, we are about to go to war with two of the Five Great Nations. You'll need the harder training. Ask Sakura what she can train you on."

"Yes, Father."

As Suzaku tried to find his way to the Medical Corps' headquarters, he bumped into an old friend, Hiromani Shon.

"Suzaku?!" Hiromani said, somewhat dazed.

"Hiro?! What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be rebuilding your home."

"Well….. uh…. er… "

"Come on what is it?"

"Well, the Hyourinkage sent me here. I'm here on top secret business."

"Ok. I got to go anyway. Later!"

"Hey, wait! I got a question for you."

"What is it?"

"Why did you join the Medical Corps? I mean, you're a great martial artist. So, why?"

The question struck Suzaku oddly. He had never been asked that or even questioned his own decision. He didn't know what to say to the question, so he remained quiet for a good little while. Then he remembered when he made the choice to become a medic. He was only ten years old that day.

"_Suzaku. Come here, darling," Hinata said._

"_Mom. I think I know what I want to be when I grow up."_

"_What's that, darling?"_

"_A medical ninja."_

"_That's a good choice, my boy," his father told him, "and I'll bet Sakura would be willing to teach you if you decide not to go to medical school."_

"I think… I think it's because I want to help people. I think it's because I want to make a difference," Suzaku finally said to Hiro.

"A difference? You have to be joking."

"I was only ten that day. I don't know any other reason that I could have chosen back then. Anyway, I'll see you later."

As Suzaku went to the Medical Corps' headquarters, he found Sakura unconscious on the floor with Ino trying to heal her. When he looked around the room, he noticed blood everywhere. Ino looked up at him with a frown on her face.

"What happened?" he asked.

"She was trying to make a Dragon-style healing ninjutsu and fainted. Beyond that I don't know."

A Dragon-style? Suzaku wondered, What on earth? "Let me see what I can do to help."

"Ok. Go for it," Ino said.

"Hi, Mizu, Kaze, Tsuchi, Kaminari, Dragon-style: Art of the Five Healing Elements!" Suzaku yelled as he invoked an unknown Dragon-style jutsu. He didn't use any hand seals to invoke the jutsu; he only focused chakra into his fingertips. Sakura soon awoke to find Ino crying about the success that Suzaku had. She found Suzaku unconscious lying next to her, exhausted from the excessive chakra use.

"Ino, what happened to Suzaku?" Sakura asked a little dazed.

"He did what you couldn't. He used a Dragon-style healing ninjutsu," Ino said crying.

"There's no way a sixteen year old Chuunin can use an S-rank healing ninjutsu. There's just no way."

"He did. I think he called it 'Dragon-style: Art of the Five Healing Elements'," Ino explained.

"That's what I tried to use! How did he use it? What hand seals did he use!?" Sakura yelled.

"I didn't use any hand seals," Suzaku said, awoken by Sakura's yelling.

"Then how-?" Sakura was cut off by Naruto's rushing in to see what had happened.

"Suzaku, do you know what just happened?"

"Not really, no."

"You just opened the portal to the Dragon Realm," Naruto told him.

"What? What's the freakin' Dragon Realm?"

"It's a forbidden realm. Only those who have a pure heart can open the Portal of Dreams to get to the Realm."  
"Are you saying I probably just began the end of the world?"

"I know not the full details of the Realm, but it appears that the Kyuubi despises the Realm."

"Kyuubi? What's that?"

"Oh, I forgot. You don't know yet. You see-"

"Your father is a Jinchuuriki. He is the host of the Kyuubi, the fox that destroyed the village thirty-three years ago," Sakura explained. Fear began to fill in Suzaku's heart, fear that he is the son of a monster.

"Don't worry. The only things you share with Kyuubi are the birthmarks on your face that are just three lines, which represent whiskers, and your animal-like state when you are angered greatly."

"Brings back memories doesn't it, Naruto?"

"Yeah, it does. Hey. Has that wound healed fully?"

"Not entirely, no. It has, however, driven me to try to create a Dragon-style healing ninjutsu."

"You mean 'Dragon-style: Art of the Five Healing Elements'?"


	2. Chapter 2

Return of the Snake

Meanwhile, Reika and the others arrived at the gate. Momo glared at Sosuke, who notices the unique Sharingan and activates his own, then to Shoji, and then to Reika, who almost faints from the fear that is instilled within her from the Dragon Sharingan. Sosuke caught Reika just in time to lay her gently on the ground, and then he turned to question the stranger.

"Who are you, and what do you want here?" he asked.

"It's been too long, cousin. I wonder, do you possess the second most powerful form of Sharingan yet?"

"Cousin? What the hell are you talking about?!" Shoji asked intently to Sosuke.

"Momoshiro, it has been far too long. I indeed have. It awoke seven years ago when I escaped my captors. Have you found a way to upgrade your Sharingan to the next level?" The two cousins glared, Dragon Sharingan versus Sharingan. Then with a sudden sweep of his sword, Momoshiro attacked Sosuke with incredible speed. The swipe caught everyone off guard but Sosuke, who jumped to avoid being hit.

"Sadly, no I haven't. There is no written record of a Mangekyou Dragon Sharingan."

"Well, that's too bad. You'll never beat my Mangekyou!"

"I have seen worse than your ninjutsu skills while using a Mangekyou. You forget that-. Well if it isn't the son of the Kyuubi," Momoshiro said, mocking Suzaku, who had just arrived.

"You're one to talk, descendant of the worst Uchiha ever," Suzaku stated.

"Why you little-"

"Stop it, Momoshiro. You don't want to anger him. He's like the Kyuubi brat," another voice stated.

"YOU! WHY ARE YOU HERE?!?!?! YOU SHOULD BE DEAD BY NOW!" Sosuke screamed as he charged at the new intruder. "I KNOW WHO YOU REALLY ARE BEHIND THAT MASK! MADARA UCHIHA! DIE!!!"

"Sosuke, wait!" Suzaku yelled after his friend.

"YOU WANT ALL OF KONOHA DEAD! JUST TRY IT!"

"Sosuke! You won't be able to hit him!"

Sosuke used his ultimate jutsu, Lightning-style: Lightning Strike Jutsu, which phased through Madara like any other ninjutsu or taijutsu. Madara glanced at Suzaku and looked at him oddly. Suzaku glared at the invincible intruder.

"You, boy with no pupils. What's your name?" Madara asked Suzaku.

"'_Boy with no pupils_'? Is that the best insult you can come up with?" Sosuke asked trying not to burst out laughing. "Even I can come up with something better than that, 'ancestor'."

"YOU LITTLE BRAT!!!!" Madara screamed.

"And you call yourself an immortal. How stupid are you?!"

"I WILL KILL YOU FOR THIS!!!!! Shizuka!"

"Yes, sir-? Suzaku?!" Shizuka said, very surprised.

"Shizuka? Is that you?" Sosuke asked.

"Sosuke? Why are you on the same squad as my brother? I thought you hated him."

"Your brother?" Sosuke looked at Suzaku, then to Reika, and finally to Shoji. Only Shoji dared to glance at Sosuke. Sosuke studied all three of his friends, and when he finally stopped, Suzaku noticed Sosuke looking at him.

"What? You mean to tell me that's _my_ sister?"

"You don't remember do you, Suzaku? You were just becoming a Chuunin the day I left. It was a long, dark rainy night when I left Konoha. I remember you saying, _'Why do you have to leave, Shizuka?'_. I haven't forgiven myself for leaving you alone for all these years," Shizuka told him. She continued to tell the story, when all of a sudden, Madara struck her in the stomach.

"You bitch! I was ordering you to KILL them!"

"S-screw you, Madara. I won't betray my family."

"Shizuka!" both Suzaku and Sosuke screamed.

"Sosuke, you have no Sharingan," Momoshiro stated.

"What are you saying, cousin?"

"You think you have a Sharingan, but you don't. What you have is a hidden doujutsu counterpart to our clan's Sharingan."

"What?!" Sosuke asked, horrified about his inability to summon a Sharingan.

"You have a substitute Sharingan, a Shuzakugan."

"What the hell is a 'Shuzakugan'?"

"It's a jutsu created by my father when I last saw him. It allows a Sharingan user to get used to the activation effects of the actual Sharingan."

"Sosuke, don't kill him," Reika told him, "He might be able to give us information on Orochimaru that even Sasuke doesn't have."

"Son of a bitch," Suzaku said, "I don't have much chakra left." And my attacks don't work on him. How can I win? he thought.

Suddenly, Madara screamed in agony. He clutched at his heart, only to find that a hand had pierced him. Everyone looked at him with surprise, shock, or fascination as Shoji demonstrated his prowess in ninjutsu.

"This is my father's jutsu. RAIKIRI!" he yelled.

"You- you are the son of the legendary Copy Ninja Kakashi Hatake?!" Madara asked, still in agonizing pain. "It would explain why you can find my weakness."

The battle was over, at least for the moment. Soon, a hawk landed on a tree as Suzaku started his training. He gripped his katana with both hands tightly, becoming one with the sword. His stance grew a little wider as he prepared to strike the tree that the hawk had landed on. He brought down the sword with so much speed that the bark flew off the trunk and branches five meters above him.

In Otogakure, however, an old rival and enemy was making his return. Orochimaru had found the key to unlocking the secret of Susano'o; he had found the Dragon Realm. He turned into his true form, and he began to ravage the peaceful Realm. He laughed hysterically at his victory.

"At last," he said, "I have found the weakness of Susano'o!" He fled the Realm, searching for Kabuto. He found the exit to Kabuto's body through the Portal of Darkness, the gate of evil passage into the Realm.

"At last, Kabuto. I am free."

Suzaku kept swinging his katana at such quick speeds, that eventually the hawk itself fell from the branches above dizzily. The strikes eventually cut the two meter thick tree trunk in two pieces. The hawk regained its whereabouts and flew to safety. Soon after, everyone heard an explosion coming from the north, coming from Kumogakure.

"What was that?" Reika asked, inquiring of Suzaku.

"I don't know."

"That's my team looking for me," Momoshiro said.


	3. Chapter 3

The Final Blow

Then, a dark portal appeared in front of Sosuke. The portal, purplish-black in color, was shaped like a snakehead. A foot came out of the portal, followed by the rest of a body. Everyone's eyes filled with fear, even Madara's.

"Well, Tobi-kun, it would seem you met your match," the man said.

"You left Akatsuki forty years ago. Why are you here?" Madara asked. A few tense moments passed, when he finally said, "Orochimaru."

"You're- _him_? You're really my father's-?" Sosuke couldn't say another word, horrified at his father's teacher. Orochimaru looked at him oddly. He turned his attention to Suzaku, who had drawn his sword ready for a fight.

"So you think you can defeat me? You have a nice sword there. Tell me this: where did you get it?" he asked, inquiring the sword. After a while he said, "Ok. Then I accept your challenge." He began to laugh hysterically. He then belched up his Sword of Kusanagi.

They charged one another, swinging with incredible speeds. The swords clashed, sparking a small flame nearby. They continued to fight until the moon had risen high into the night sky. Suzaku was on the verge of collapsing when Sosuke stepped in, intent on keeping his comrade safe. He summoned Eon, the Dragon Guardian of Konoha. Orochimaru then tried to summon Manda, only to find him dead.

"What?! Manda – dead?!" he yelled, extremely surprised at his newest discovery.

"Yes, Master? What is it that you wish me to do?" Eon inquired of Sosuke. Eon, the Dragon of Courage, was among the strongest of all Dragon Sages, being the Guardian of Light and Shadow. He was fifty foot tall at the shoulder. His arms were as thick as boulders, his legs as thick as the wall surrounding Konoha.

"Kill this man," Sosuke told Eon, "and don't let him ever come back. He must be destroyed, for he has found the Realm."

"_He_ found _my _Realm?! He must indeed be a strong opponent." Eon assumed a ready stance, guarding against any possible attack. Orochimaru attacked using his Sword of Kusanagi. The swipes didn't even put a scratch on Eon. The assault pressed on well into the morning; when it ended, Orochimaru was left exhausted and weak. Just as he regained his bearings, Eon ended his pathetic, parasitic life with just one swing.

"How- how can he- do this to- me…" his voice faded as he drew his last breath. Everyone celebrated this wondrous victory: the death of the Snake. Finally his reign of fear was ended; finally he could rest in an eternal slumber. With Orochimaru's true death, Kabuto was vanquished as well, leaving only his glasses as a reminder of his remote existence.


	4. Chapter 4

The True Mission

When everyone returned to Konoha, they found Shinna Hyuuga waiting for Suzaku and Shizuka. She looked Madara square in the eye, only to find the horrible Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan had been focused on her the entire time he was there. They all approached the prison section of Konoha. Momoshiro, who had rendezvoused with his team, was about to meet his father's receiver for the second time.

"Shinna, why were you waiting for us at the gate? Weren't you supposed to be at the nursery?" Suzaku asked his cousin. Shinna was a tall young lady with long straight hair, a somewhat petite figure, and a kind heart. Her eyes had been filled with terror when she met with Suzaku and the rest of the group.

"Uncle Naruto said for you to meet with him personally. He said it was a message from Myobokuzan. He said the message was for you, cousin."

"For _me_? Why would the toads have a message for me? I'm nothing but the child of _the _Child of Prophecy," he told her.

"Cousin, it also has a lot to do with me. I have to have guards. Uncle will tell you more," she explained.

They arrived at the Hokage's Building for the briefing. On the way, Sosuke stopped by the Medical Corps to speak with Sakura. He bumped into Hiro, who was carrying scrolls of medical ninjutsu to the Corps Headquarters.

"Hey, Hiro. What are you doing here?" Sosuke inquired.

"I'm here on a mission from Hyourinkage. She wanted me to help with Konoha's medical shinobi, doing whatever they needed me to do. It turns out that I leave today to help with a guarding mission," Hiro explained.

"Hyourinkage-sama? How is your mother? Is she doing well?" Sosuke asked.

"Well…." his voice trailed as he remembered his mother's final words to him. "_'Hiro... my son... believe that I will always love you, that your feelings will truly set you free.'_ She was killed during Pein's war. We had been in Konoha when he attacked. I watched Naruto use his most powerful Sage tech. He threw this giant shuriken made of just chakra. It was awesome. On the subject of my mother, on the other hand, Pein's Shinra Tensei had crushed her underneath a lot of rubble. She died because Pein attacked," he said.

"Pein's war was difficult for us all. I was only an infant then. My father had left the village to fight alongside Madara, and he is now searching for me," Sosuke said.

Back at the briefing room, Suzaku, Shizuka, Reika, Shinna, Momo, Kairo, Lina, and Bain all listened to the mission objectives. Kairo, Lina, and Bain were Momo's squad mates. They all listened intently, all chosen to guard Shinna on her journey.

"Suzaku, I understand that a message from Myobokuzan came intended for you. The message says: 'The war is starting. You have been chosen by prophecy to guard the Chosen One to her true love, and guide her through the challenges that await her.' I went to Myobokuzan to speak with Gramps. He said that Shinna is the Chosen One. He also said that you must travel beyond the Five Great Nations' borders to the Land of Dragons, a remote region in the Eastern Plains. You will meet five sages: Dan, Kai, Sai, Erika, and Dante. You must find out which four of the five sages will help save the shinobi world. You must reach the Land of Dragons before the final battle of the war. If you don't, I fear Shinna will be taken to the High Warlord of the Great Nations by force. Momoshiro, I am willing to admit you as a shinobi of Konoha if you help my son and niece. Shizuka, you will help your brother with his medical training, seeing that you are a member of the Medical Corp already. Reika, you and Suzaku have been on the same squad for twelve years now. Show all outside of the Great Nations what Konoha stands for. Sosuke, nice of you to join us," Naruto said, noticing the late arrival and the point at which he arrived.

"My apologies, lord Hokage. I was speaking to Hiro. He said he was going with us to the Land of Dragons?" Sosuke, shocked that he hadn't been scolded, apologized.

"That is correct. Hiromani Shon shall also accompany you, Suzaku. He will help you with your Ice Release training. You must know an Ice tech before you return. Think of it as your passing into manhood test." Naruto noticed Sosuke staring blankly at the wall behind him. "Sosuke, is something the matter?" he asked Sosuke.

"I heard from Hiro that you have a tech that looks like a giant shuriken made of pure chakra. What is that tech, and how can I learn it?" Sosuke explained.

"The rest of you are dismissed. Sosuke, that tech is not to be learned from any sage but me." Naruto reached into his pocket and retrieved a slip of paper sensitive to chakra. "Focus your chakra into this slip of paper. I can determine if you are able to learn it or not from this," he said.

Sosuke received the slip of paper and focused his chakra. At the top left corner, it burned; the top right, it turned to dust. At the bottom left it crumpled together; the bottom right, it became soggy. In the very center of the paper, a sliver appeared and split in two.

"This has – never been recorded!" Naruto said, surprised at the results.


	5. Chapter 5

The Ultimate Prophecy

"What do you mean, Hokage-sama? Do you mean to tell me that I can use any of the five elements?" Sosuke asked, also surprised.

"In the order of which they appeared is the order of which you shall learn them," said a voice familiar only to Naruto.

"Gramps! What are you doing here?" he asked, surprised at his mentor's arrival.

"I'm here for two reasons: there has been another prophecy, and I would like to know that tech as well. What is it called, young one?" Gramps asked.

"It's my Wind Release: Rasenshuriken. I learned it before I went to Myobokuzan. Kakashi-sensei taught me how to use elemental chakra. I wish he were alive; I need his advice. Enough about that. What's the new prophecy?" he explained.

"The prophecy says: 'There will be a great battle between best friends. This battle will either destroy the world or save it. A shinobi must kill his friend in order to fulfill this foretelling, or all shall end.' It means Suzaku will have to either kill his oldest friend or one of his newest ones. He will decide the fate of the world. He should be told of this new foretelling. Sosuke, you must tell him," Gramps explained.

Sosuke left the briefing room to find Suzaku. He searched all of Konoha, yet all he found was a note at his doorstep. He read it, and he bolted to the eastern gate. He searched even to Sunagakure. He turned eastward to head towards the Eastern Plains. He reached the borders of the Lightning Province, just in time to meet up with Suzaku.

"Finally, Suzaku, I found you. Listen," he said, extremely exhausted, "there's been another prophecy from Myobokuzan. You will either have to kill me or one of the five sages that join up with us."

"Why? Why would I have to kill you?" Suzaku asked his closest friend. "I can't fathom why I would kill you. I could understand one of the five sages, but I can't understand any reason I would have to kill-." He was cut off by the Lightning Sage's arrival.

"Why is Konoha sending kids to _my _province? Who are you, and what do you want? Speak!" he demanded.

"I am Suzaku, son of the Hokage. My cousin is to be brought to all five of the Sages of the Land of Dragons," he answered.

"Sai… it's nice to see you again," Shinna said abruptly.

"Shinna…" Sai started, only to be at a loss for words at the sight of his old friend. Everyone noticed the two blushing. Sai was a young man at 5'9". He had a medium build and a good swinging arm.

"Well, Shinna, go chat with your old friend," Shizuka told her.

"Well, Sai, it seems you finally don't have anything to say," said the Wind Sage.

"Kai, what are you doing here?" Kai, Sai's newest friend, was about the same height but had a slim build.


	6. Chapter 6

Reunion

As the old friends talked about old times and catching up with the present, Sosuke explained the situation to Reika, Shoji, and Shizuka. They were all amazed by the challenge appointed to Suzaku and Sosuke. Reika was horrified, while Shoji and Shizuka were collective, trying to figure a way out of the foretelling.

"Suzaku, why should you have to kill one of your friends?" Reika asked him, blushing from her feelings for him.

"It's because someone will betray him," came the same voice that Sosuke heard before he left Konoha.

"Gramps!"

"Hello, youngster. Have you told them about your extreme training yet?" Gramps asked.

"What '_extreme training_'?" everyone asked, including the two Sages.

"I have to learn a tech from all five of the elements. I already know Fire; now I need to learn Earth, then Lightning, Water, and finally Wind techs," Sosuke explained. By this time, the sun had fallen beyond the horizon, turning into twilight.

A few _Lightning Beetles_ started to fly around, while crickets chirped and fireflies flew. They all heard a rustling in the bushes. A small dragon came from the bushes, startling Reika and Shizuka. Suzaku, Shoji, Shinna, and Sosuke all looked with surprise and awe at the baby creature.

"This is Kinaro, son of Alari and Sunera, two of the Dragon Guardians. I believe you know the Guardian of Light and Shadow?" Kai asked.

"Yeah, we do. I had to summon him to fight Orochimaru," Sosuke smarted off to Kai.

"You little brat! Don't insult Kai like that!" said a girl's voice from behind them.


	7. Chapter 7

Erika

"Erika! I thought I told you to stay away from me!" Kai shouted, blushing from her sudden appearance. Erika stood at 5'3" and was a good swordfighter in her own right.

"Go away, Erika. You haven't forgotten the treaty, have you?" Sai asked, angered by his rival's interruption.

"Screw you, Jinchuuriki. I don't take orders from you," she told him, flushed with anger.

"Jinchuuriki?" everyone asked.

"Sai!" said a voice that came from behind Kai.

"Dan! It's good to see you my friend. How are you? Is your family well?" Sai asked him. Dan stood at 6'3" and had a heavy build.

"Looks like Mizu Sennin is missing," said Kai, still angry at Erika.

After everyone else had gone to sleep, Shinna, Suzaku, Sosuke, Sai, and Kai all went to the Southern River of Eon, the place of refuge for Dragon Shinobi. The entrance was large, having two steel doors that stood as tall as the Hokage Faces.


	8. Chapter 8

The Elemental Sages

While Shoji, Reika, and Shizuka slept, Erika slipped off into the bushes, looking for a Stone of Communion. A Stone of Communion was a stone that was usually rare, except in the Lightning Province. It was said to be a stone of infinite knowledge, though Sai, Kai, Dan, and Dante knew different. It was shaped like a kunai, though it was as half as tall as Konoha's surrounding wall.

Back at the Southern River of Eon, Sosuke brought up the subject of Sai being a Jinchuuriki.

"How are you a Jinchuuriki? I thought there were only nine beasts," Suzaku asked.

"In the Land of Dragons, there are eleven more beasts, though they are all peace loving creatures," Shinna explained.

"_Eleven_?! How many have been sealed?"

"Just two, both inside me. The first is the Ten-tailed Dragon of Eons. He is the Yin portion of the two, though he is psychotic. The second is the Dragon of Lightning, my Yang portion. He is very secretive, but he's a good friend," Sai said.

"And how does someone get two beasts sealed in them? I mean-" Sosuke was cut off by a rustling in the bushes.

From the bushes came a small eight-tailed wolf. The young creature was a meter tall at the shoulder, two meters long from nose to tail, and curious as to what everyone was talking about.

"What the-? How are there more than one beast with one two to nine tails?" Suzaku asked Sai.

"There are many species in the Land of Dragons that are tailed beasts. You want one, Suzaku?" Sai asked him.

"You mean I can have one, or are you going to seal it in me?"

"I'm going to have to seal it inside you in order for you to keep it. This little guy's name is Aseron. He likes you, Suzaku," Sai explained.

"Aseron, huh? I guess my father should decide. Kagebunshin no Jutsu! Go to Konoha, and tell Father that I need him to decide whether or not I can have an eight tailed wolf sealed inside of me."

"Why are you on my land? Have you forgotten the treaty?" said a voice that only Sai recognized.

"Sorry, Dante. I needed to see you for your guidance. There has been a prophecy of war in the Five Great Nations. Kumogakure will be fighting in it. Will you join us?" Sai explained.

"Kumogakure…. home…. at…… war….. What about Killer Bee? Is my friend okay?" Dante asked.

"He's supposed to be captured by my team, but we will fight against Akatsuki if we have to in order to save the Shinobi Nations," Momo stated.


End file.
